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 John
Piper came to Virginia City from Hootie, Germany in 1860. He started purchasing
saloons and by 1867 had acquired MacGuire’s Opera House. The opera
house that exists in Virginia City today is actually the third Piper’s
Opera House. The original and its first replacement were both burned in
fires.
Piper’s
is known for the quality of the acts it attracts. The house featured plays
by William Shakespeare, it had opera, and many well known performers:
the Booths, the Barrymores, the band leader John Phillip Sousa, singer
Emma Nevada, and Lily Langtry all performed there.
The
Opera House was not just a performance venue. It also served as a meeting
hall and community center. The miners held meetings there, Virginia Woodhall
announced her candidacy for the presidential race there, and Harriet Beacher
Stowe once spoke there. In later years, the auditorium served as a basketball
court, a dance hall, and even as a roller skating rink.
More
about the Piper’s Opera House:
 Piper's
Opera House #I (Maguire's) burned down in the Great Fire of 1875.- Opera House #2
burned in 1883. Some think this fire was caused by arson others blame
it on John Piper’s cigar.
- John Piper is
thought to haunt the Opera House. The smell of his cigar smoke lets
patrons know when his ghost is visiting.
- The first venue
probably had gas lights but when Virginia City was electrified they
were replaced with electric fixtures.
- The building is
a classic shoebox. The downstairs had reception rooms, a Saloon, the
green rooms, dressing rooms, and the stars quarters. To the left side
of the building we have the old prop shop and the printing room. The
auditorium is upstairs.
- The stage is raked,
it has a lift of 4 feet. Unusual to theaters, the backdrops are tracked
in from the side rather than dropped down from above.
- The opera house
construction is square set timbering like that used in the mines. The
auditorium has wood lathe with canvas stretched over it.
- The auditorium
floor is built on ore cart springs. This adds a little bounce and is
exceptionally nice for dances.
 Andria
Daley-Taylor, Historian:
“If the Piper’s Opera House were lost we would lose part of
our heart, I think, and its really important because it provided a venue
where people could confront part of the human spirit though dance and
theater — you have to be here when we have a performance going on
— its magical — you know, the gaslights come on and its always
an experience when you come to Piper’s.”
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Additional Links:
Piper's Opera House
P.O. Drawer J
#1 North B Street
Virginia City, Nevada 89440
775-847-0433
www.pipersoperahouse.org
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